Yes Denmark could be a model and good luck
w/getting that kind of cooperation from the corporations that control the
chicken "industry" and the slaughterhouses in the US. Remember that,
starting with the Clinton administration, there's been a belief that large
profit focused industries will self-regulate to protect the public health &
welfare even if that conflicts w/decreasing costs/increasing short term
profits. Stupid. What that's meant is that the USDA has DECREASED the number of
inspectors. And of course the FDA hasn't acted to protect the public health by
banning the chronic use of low levels of antibiotics (including some on the
"last line" of defense against "superbugs" or bacteria that
is already resistant to many antibiotics) in chicken feed.

Guess
what, Mr. Hofacre, it wasn't easy in Denmark, either. You might say that
“the last thing they want is someone to get sick from eating their
products,” but if they aren't willing to spend the money, then they'd
rather just have the money.

From what's in this article, and the
relative populations of the two countries, we buy 1/3 more chickens than
Denmark, per capita. It really wouldn't be that much more expensive to
make the reforms needed, we just lack the political will – ok, we just
lack the political (will).

(Scott) Russell of the University of Georgia says this would be "cost prohibitive".Let's
do some simple math. Denmark spent $30 million to compensate farmers,
with 100 chickens processed per year. The US processes 8.5 billion a
year.

Assuming a constant per bird cost, the total cost of
transitioning in the US would be $2.7 billion. That's less than half
"economic toll" reported earlier in the article. Net savings: $3.3
billion per year.

This isn't about the change being "cost
prohibitive". It's about recognizing the true cost of our factory
farming practices in the US.

Not only is it
feasible it's currently being done, change can be effected at the checkout
line. They will produce what the consumer demands. Organic free range may cost
a bit more, but honestly what is your health worth.

Another commenter recognized the depth of research that went into the stories (thank you):

BTW, excellent job of research and reporting on a significant issue. This is
what newspapers and journalism are supposed to do.

Finn Jensen: The
downside of this is that this has now gone too far. It's so filled with
red-tape bureaucracy that it's virtually impossible for small scale farmers to
make decent chickens or other poultry.